Vunipola comes out fighting to bury Folau storm

NEWCASTLE – Billy Vunipola acknowledged that a starring role for Saracens was the only way he could come out fighting after criticism for defending Israel Folau’s claim that "hell awaits" gay people.

Both Saracens and the English RFU slapped Vunipola with an official warning after his Instagram post in support of the Australian full-back’s homophobic posting.

While some fans at the sell-out St James Park in Newcastle booed Vunipola when he was substituted late in the second-half of the European Champions Cup final against Leinster, the giant forward had already done the damage.

The 26-year-old scored a belter of a try, picking up from the base of a scrum and battering his way past a handful of defenders for a crucial 66th-minute score in Saturday’s 20-10 victory over the Irish province that saw Saracens to a third European Cup win in four seasons.